MERRY CHRISTMAS! this was the first year wren understood santa. she couldn’t sleep the night before, calling out to us from her bed while we wrapped presents, asking if santa was outside. santa brought her a little kitchen with pots, pans and lots of play food. her expression coming into the living room in the morning was priceless…complete shock to see a stove just her size. she makes christmas SO MUCH FUN! next christmas cannot come soon enough.

ROAR! we’re back! it hasn’t been too long since we’ve been gone, has it???

more to come soon!

A YEAR AND A HALF OLD no, i cannot believe it! at wren’s 18 month checkup the doctor was pleased with her growth and development. she’s a big girl – which we knew – topping out at the 81st percentile for weight. i love her chubby legs and cheeks, and round belly. it sure is hard finding pants that fit her properly, and shirts that will stay put over her cute tummy, but i wouldn’t want her any other way. my perfect little honeybunny.

NO! has been a popular word of wren’s these days. as i was going through her closet showing her dresses to wear, she stood with her hand on her hip, head tilted and shaking from side to side, smiling, ‘noooo…’ at each option. it was cute the first week. now, not so much. the temper tantrums have skyrocketed, so have the number of time outs. her tantrums are so dramatic and laborious, i can’t help but hide my face and laugh.  she’s quick to learn, and sweet when we explain to her why it’s wrong to kick/hit/bite mommy/daddy/kitty. she even apologizes with a hug now. it melts our hearts every time.

other neat stuff about this month: all but four teeth, back molars, are in — thank you LORD! the sleepless nights for me and her are almost over. happy birthday is her favorite song to sing. her hair is starting to get fuller and longer. we are very close to gathering it into a ponytail. she can jump and take a bow – she learned both from my sister. she’s saying a few sentences now: ‘i saw belle!’, ‘it’s a ball!’, ‘thank you daddy’, and a billion other things that i’m still trying to decipher.

i find it amusing that everyone is now asking when we’re having another baby. 18 months must be the magic number for couples to work on baby #2? hmm? i’ll have to keep you guessing with that answer.

OUR LITTLE PICKY EATER had a breakthrough this month — FISHSTICKS! phew. one more thing to add to the ‘okay i’ll eat this’ list. meals have become a bit frustrating for me when she doesn’t want anything but yogurt, apple sauce or a quesadilla. i’ve been hiding things in her quesadilla like ground turkey, kidney beans, kale or broccoli. most of the time she doesn’t even notice, but when she does, her little arms fly up over her head and she frantically waves and shouts “ALL DONE!”. and we’re all done. dinner is over. no second chances. despite what all the books and websites say about preparing wholesome, organic, homemade baby food in order to expand your baby’s palette in the first year – while healthy and wonderful – doesn’t necessarily mean your baby, once a toddler, will enjoy eating those same foods. i can’t help but question where i went wrong though. how can she hate everything she once loved? as long as i offer her delicious, healthy food, and eat all those same foods in front of her, one day it will click. hopefully. funny thing, when a mcdonalds billboard went up across the street from our home, she screamed with delight at the picture of the food, “YUM! MMM!”. ugh!

one day wren decided to whistle, nonstop. it’s the cutest thing. she just whistles all day. i think she learned it from me when i mimicked the birds outside by whistling. whenever we ask her what a bird says, she whistles and says ABIRRR! {a bird!}. she’s talking so much, mostly gibberish, but full conversations on the most amazing things, i’m sure. i love her sweet, excitable spirit. i wish more than anything i knew what she was trying to tell me.

she loves waving goodbye to airplanes flying over, strangers walking past us, and cars driving by. when those strangers wave back she cannot contain her joy, sometimes blowing them kisses. could you imagine if i did that – crazy lady. she does it and the worlds’ woes cease to exist. hardened, tattooed men have cracked a smile at her air kisses. pure magic.

in the bottom four photos above she’s trying to fit into her moses basket. she’s been sitting in there lately, just relaxing. my funny little girl.

THIS MIGHT BE AN ONGOING TRADITION in the sanchez house. do you remember lady liberty from last year?

I HAD SO MUCH FUN MAKING THESE INVITATIONS wren’s invite had been on my mind since the week she was born. what type of mother starts planning their baby’s first birthday right after the child is born — this crazy mother right here. my sister loved wren’s invite so much she asked if i’d make logan’s first birthday invite too {logan and wren are four months apart}. logan has a beautiful head of thick, red hair, and my sister is obsessed with frogs, so naturally a redheaded frog invitation was in order for little logan.

i’ve added a few birdie items to my shop, inspired by wren’s invitation: birthday bird stickers, birthday bird flat notes, and little bird flat notes {birdie without the birthday hat}. with my sister’s permission, i just might add birthday frog to the shop too.

MAGNIFICENTBLISS HAS TURNED INTO ONE BIG UPDATE every few months. i’m shocked that anyone actually visits {all 10 of you, google analytics doesn’t lie}. every day i try to work on my little site, ultimately pulled away by life – dare i say, almost always, something more interesting – like wren, an important phone call, a fun art project {perhaps involving bears + parachutes}, a workout, or a visit to the park. life is rushing by, if you haven’t already noticed, and i’m taking advantage of every moment.

despite being pulled in a million different directions, i hate leaving projects unattended or incomplete, so there’s catching up to do. i’ve been working on five months worth of ‘wren’ posts. who can’t get enough of wren?! i sure can’t. i know, i know, you’ve been waiting anxiously for this, haven’t you? actually this is more for my benefit since this is MY photo journal, but you’re welcome to enjoy it too. below is a list of all the new updates, even one dating back to december!

test shots {the story behind the adorable photo posted from her first birthday shout-out}
wren month eleven
happy birthday wren!
wren’s first birthday :: setup
wren’s first birthday :: party time
wren’s first birthday :: the cake
wren month twelve
wren month thirteen
wren month fourteen

i’m working on more posts – art/design, food, home related. as much you love seeing WREN WREN WREN in every post, i’m sure you’d enjoy other topics too. come back soon.